The beauty behind the “Madness”
Rondarius Thompson, Associate Writer
March is known to most people as just another month in the year, but to sports fans it is a month where college basketball comes alive.
March Madness traces all the way back to 1908 where it began in Illinois as a state-wide high school basketball tournament.
It became official with the IHSA by 1939 when Henry V. Porter penned an article called March Madness.”
A little March Madness may complement and contribute to sanity and help society on an even keel,” Porter said.
The term March Madness had never been used for anything other than referring to Illinois high school basketball until 1982, when a CBS sports announcer, Brent Musburger, made the phrase iconic.
The phrase March Madness began to be used for more than just high school basketball.
Along with the term’s widespread use, came controversy.
In 1996, the IHSA filed a lawsuit against the NCAA over the name after the NCAA released a video game call March Madness.” Eventually, a compromise was made.
The beauty behind the madness is so simple, but so complex at the same time. Sixty-eight teams are selected every March for the NCAA Division I mens tournament. Those 68 teams must play it out in a ‘loser goes home’ duel, in which there can only be one victor.
Each year, The Big Dance brings a different feel of excitement to the sports world. From underdog teams, to the powerhouse programs and even to the Cinderella teams that defy the odds and make a miraculous run for the title, the Madness will never lose its magic.
